


The lights in his eyes

by robotjellyfish



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Aphelion Zine, Fluff, M/M, shance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-30
Updated: 2018-03-30
Packaged: 2019-04-15 02:26:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14149923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/robotjellyfish/pseuds/robotjellyfish
Summary: Shiro watches the lights from the fireworks dance on Lance’s skin and marvels at how lucky he is to have the young man beside him.





	The lights in his eyes

**Author's Note:**

> hooo boy hello, so this is the fic i wrote for the Aphelion zine a while back. I've been allowed to post this since January but I kinda forgot until now, so yeah, here it is -cough- enjoy. Let me know if any of you bought the zine and read this, and let me know what you think! 
> 
> And if you weren't able to buy the zine, here's a shance piece to enjoy. 
> 
> I hope you like it.

There were many things they all missed from Earth; being so far away from home it was inevitable. Each of the Paladins would be able to write a very long list of everything they missed if you asked them to, and each one would be as unique as they were. But none of them, except for maybe Lance, had ever sat down to think about every single thing they missed. It was just easier that way, given the circumstances.

  


If by chance they ever did let their minds wander to home: it was the basic, superficial things they would think of first. The most important, and at the forefront of their mind would of course be the people they missed. Followed maybe by their favourite food, place, an item of clothing, or even a book. Simple home comforts that they were painfully lacking.

  


None of them would ever think too deeply or let their mind wander too far lest it go to a place that would be difficult to recover from. Not a single one of them had ever considered fireworks as something that would cause a painful ache for home. When the colourful display lit up the sky on the alien planet they’d saved from a Galra attack, each one of the Paladins was hit with such a powerful wave of homesickness that they all had to look away for a moment.

  


Hunk was the first to recover, followed shortly by Keith. They turned to the sky slowly watching with similar expressions of sad longing that changed quickly to wonder. Pidge was next, looking up from beneath her bangs, the light glinting off her glasses, torn. A part of her didn’t want to look, didn’t want to risk getting lost in memories of family that had rushed to the surface at the very first boom, but her scientific mind insisted they watch, fascinated by the display. So she looked.

  


Lance felt it like a pair of hands wrapped around his neck, and a fist clenched around his heart. The sensation made him stop breathing for a moment. He’d never been particularly fond of fireworks, he liked them about as much as the next person; but as the rockets exploded in a shower of sparkling colour above him, he felt like he was drowning in a deep, fathomless ocean. Everything muffled and far away.

  


For Shiro it felt like being punched in the gut with a force that almost made him stumble. Ever since his capture, he hadn’t allowed himself to think of Earth, to think of _home_. It had been too painful, too dangerous. If he allowed his mind to wander, he feared he would slip up, make a mistake that would be detrimental to the team. If he thought of home he feared he wouldn’t be able to make it through. Even during his brief return to Earth, he hadn’t allowed himself to think about home and then Voltron had happened which now, was all he had been able to think about.

  


Memories of festivals and celebrations, spent with family and friends, rushed to the surface of Shiro’s mind. Memories of special occasions marked by explosions of unforgettable colour and sound. It lived around them, the buzz of excitement so universal that for a moment, it was easy to forget they were on an alien planet. The chorus of excited ‘ _oh’s_ ’ and ‘ _ah’s_ ’ were undeniably familiar, the murmur of conversations, the cries of joy, the screams of laughter from children. It was so human. So much like home.

  


The fireworks exploded with a boom, a force Shiro could feel throughout his body. The very same force that made Lance jolt, as if shot, then looking up at the sky as if he were falling, falling, drowning, lost in his memories. The smoky smell of gunpowder was identical, if a little weaker with a hint of something they couldn’t quite place. It burnt their nostrils and stung their eyes. It was easy for Lance to let a few tears slip, the smoke a perfect excuse for it.

  


Shiro was the next to recover, blinking quickly as everything around came into focus. His team were still in their Paladin armour, the biped aliens with pale blue skin and strange antenna were crowded around them, and the silvery shimmer to the sky that had nothing to do with the fireworks remained unchanged; all the things that were alien and so far away from home brought him crashing back.

  


Then he caught sight of Lance beside him, looking up at the sky as if he wasn’t seeing anything at all, appearing incredibly lost. Shiro stepped closer, brushing his fingers against Lance’s hand but not taking hold of it. Another jolt shot through Lance’s body, his head snapping to look at Shiro, looking through him for a moment, then finally focusing, _seeing_ him. Lance gasped, surfacing at last from the reverie and remembering to breathe.

  


Shiro smiled at him—gently and slightly wobbly—and Lance knew Shiro was feeling it too: the ache for home. He took another deep breath and shot a watery smile back.

  


Despite the overwhelming wave of sentimentality that threatened to drag him back down, Lance couldn’t help but be drawn into the display, Shiro a solid, reassuring presence beside him. Both were very close but neither of them dared to reach out again.

  


The fireworks were a spectacular sight to behold, lighting up the sky in a vivid array of colours, some of which they had never seen on Earth. The lights almost seemed to be alive as the colourful explosions drew all manner of intricate shapes in the sky. Flowers, planets, people, and the lions. The shapes would develop and change right before their eyes, lingering in a complex dance that told a story. In this case, it was of the heroic battle the Paladins of Voltron had fought to save Foystea, the planet of Foysteans.

  


The planet itself was a testament to the Foysteans’ skill. Incredible fireworks aside, their buildings alone were a feat of outstanding engineering. The structures were built from what appeared to be crystal and glass woven with rock and plant life, something that was almost a combination of the Olkari forest and Balmera colony, familiar in a sense yet still very unique.

  


Unlike the Balmera, the crystals were not birthed from a living planet but mined and refined through thousands of years of practice and skill.  The Foystean crystals apparently held no power; they were simply beautiful materials for the people to work with. The sparkling crystals, woven into the very fabric of the land, shimmered in the light of the fireworks, and shone under the glow of the moon so that it seemed the whole place was floating in the sky.

  


They all agreed that their favourite part of the display was the climax of the battle. Each of their lions had been brought to life in a remarkable display of sparkles, soaring across the sky with ferocious roars as they fought Galra ships, then coming together in a brilliant bloom of light to form Voltron. The firework-Voltron charged across the sky, constantly shimmering with freshly exploding fireworks. It formed its sword and cut down the crackling purple Galra ship that exploded in a triumphant shower of all the Paladins’ colours.

  


Everything soon faded and the display came to an end, but the buzz of excitement remained, as did the emotions coiled around their hearts.

  


It was a breathtaking sight and in seeing how moved the Paladins were, the Foysteans insisted team Voltron stay another night. It hadn’t been difficult to convince them. The group trudged back to the Castle, weary and a little melancholy, still missing home.

  


Lance brought up the rear with Shiro hanging back to keep him company. It was silent around them now, though the buzz of people and the explosions of fireworks still rang in their ears.

  


“They were beautiful, huh?” Shiro commented, breaking the heavy silence that weighed them down.

  


Lance looked up at Shiro with the same watery smile, the corners of his eyes red.

  


“Yeah, I’ve never seen anything like it,” he said wistfully. He would have loved to show those fireworks to his siblings; his youngest sister in particular would have adored them.

  


“It’ll be nice to explore the planet we saved tomorrow,” Shiro continued.

  


“Hmm. Maybe we can stock up on some food that actually has a bit of flavour,” Lance chuckled, his smile growing a little brighter.

  


“Now that would be something,” Shiro agreed.

  


They lost sight of their team along the way back, their pace slower and the others coming to a silent agreement to give the two men a moment alone.

  


“I’ll probably still be up for a bit. I don’t think I can go to sleep right away after that battle,” Shiro admitted with a tired sigh. It was an offhand comment with a hidden, but easy-to-read meaning: he was inviting Lance to come see him if he wanted to. An invitation he’d been extending more often lately.

  


“I think I’m going to go straight to bed. I need my eight hours of beauty sleep,” Lance shot back with a flirty smile that suited him far more than the wistful melancholy of earlier.

  


Shiro felt himself relax some.“Okay. Good night, Lance,” he said as they came to a stop outside Lance’s room, the hallway dim and quiet.

  


“Good night, Shiro,” Lance echoed back. There was a brush of hands again, neither sure who reached out first. Their fingers curled around each other and squeezed softly, the two of them leaning in as if standing on the edge of something, about to jump off.

  


Then Lance pulled back.

  


“See you tomorrow,” he said with another smile, before ducking into his room.

  


The door swished shut behind him before Shiro could answer, not that the older man minded. His hand still tingled from the brush of their fingers. It was enough to get him through the night.

  


* * *

 

  


The following morning they were greeted again with warm, enthusiastic hospitality. Excited groups of Foysteans called at the Castle first thing to whisk them away and show off the colour and culture their home had to offer.

  


Pidge and Hunk were eager to learn exactly how the fireworks worked; they’d discussed nothing else on the walk back to the Castle last night, bouncing theories off each other, each one far more elaborate than the last. Pidge all but jumped on one of the Foysteans, a man named Tor, who offered to show them how the fireworks were created. Hunk went along ‘to keep an eye’ on Pidge, but he was just as eager to learn the secrets behind the incredible fireworks.

  


Keith—who was still feeling the effects of last night and wanted nothing more than some time alone to sort out his feelings—he diplomatically excused himself, asking for permission to explore the planet on his own before flying off in Red.  

  


Allura and Coran took on the task of humbly accepting all the lavish gifts the Foysteans pressed on them while also trying to ensure they could stock up on the essentials without encouraging their hosts to give them more than was needed. The Foysteans were unfortunately grossly generous and refused any attempt Allura made to reimburse them for the things she asked. No gift was too great for their saviours. Five minutes into talking with the people of Foystea, attempting to negotiate some basic supplies and nothing more, Allura looked exhausted.  

  


With the team splitting off like that only Lance and Shiro were left, a pair of stragglers with nothing to do.

Neither had any particular interest to see anything specific, so they stood there smiling shyly at each other. It would be easy, natural even for them to gravitate together, spend the day together as the only two left with nothing to do. And it wasn’t as if they hadn’t suggested at it last night, but actually saying it out loud, one of them turning to the other and offering him their company, was another thing entirely

  


Not to mention they still had an audience, a small group of smiling Foysteans watching the them expectantly. It made the whole thing rather difficult.

  


“Would you do us the honour of allowing us to guide you around our home?” an older woman, who introduced herself as Uosk, asked as she bustled forward. What remained of the group of Foysteans crowded around her, closing off their escape.

  


“We would be delighted,” Shiro answered calmly with an even smile, though Lance could see a small twitch in the corner of his eye. He was irritated to be losing out on some personal time. Lance felt it too, but being a Paladin of Voltron—sometimes for the sake of diplomacy—sacrifices had to be made.

  


Well, at least they’d still get to spend the day together, even if they did have an audience.

  


“Yeah that sounds great,” Lance added cheerfully. He was on the one hand, quite curious to see more of the planet; it was just a shame that it came at the cost of spending the morning alone with Shiro.

  


Uosk smiled wider, her pupiless eyes twinkling as she looked between the two of them knowingly before turning away, beckoning them to follow her.

  


“Come, come, we have much that will interest you,” she chuckled to herself, in a tone that Lance would call very grandmotherly. There was no way they would be able to shake her, and the group of Foysteans that formed a circle around them as they followed sealed the deal. They were at the mercy of their hosts for the rest of the day.

  


’Sorry,’ Shiro mouthed at Lance as they walked at the centre of the chattering group. Lance shot him one of his usual, cocky smiles. He then took a step toward the other man, lightly bumping into his shoulder before turning to one of the Foysteans who had just asked him a question.

  


By day, the planet was just as stunning. Surprisingly, the crystals did not magnify the light of the sun, the Foysteans having somehow built their structures in a way to prevent this. They still sparkled and glowed, but in a soft, warm way that made Lance think of the pure white sands of an untouched beach.

  


Throughout the day, as they were shown various places of fame and interest, Lance began to notice a theme. First was the fabled crystal mine, where a lonely miner was said to have created the most beautiful wife from a discarded batch of dull crystals. The crystals from the mine were now famously used in jewelry for couples, particularly in rings.

  


They visited other locations of note, with similar stories of love attached. Everywhere they went, the small group would crowd around them, pushing them together, making sure the two men were as close as possible, and constantly pressing paired gifts into their hands that held some significance. Lance quickly lost track.

  


As embarrassing as it was however, it was oddly thrilling to be sharing this with Shiro.

  


“Is it just me or does this feel like a setup?” Shiro whispered against Lance’s ear during a brief moment of peace, their hosts out of earshot.

  


“Shiro, I think you’re being a bit paranoid,” Lance teased with a twinkling smirk, though his stomach was twisting with nerves. They were definitely being set up.

  


Which meant only one thing: they were being given a little ‘push’ from their friends. Lance should have known that the way they all split off like that, leaving him and Shiro alone, was too easy.  

  


Their relationship was still very fresh and new; they’d only kissed a few times so far, and hadn’t really got past anything more than that other than some hand holding and cuddling, all of which still sent Lance into fits of nervous palpitations. It was the worst kept secret in the entire Castle. Although they hadn’t told anyone—they’d decided to keep things private for now—they knew that the others knew.

  


This was no doubt the team’s way of telling them that they didn’t need to hide anymore and they should just get on with things: making them start with spending a day exploring an alien planet together, and then, maybe, watching a stunning fireworks display to round off the evening.After all, both Pidge and Hunk had made it perfectly clear that they would be busy studying the Foysteans’ science, Keith hadn’t really said anything, and both Allura and Coran were busy with diplomatic issues. Convenient.

  


Which meant that Lance should invite Shiro to watch the fireworks with him. It would be a shame to leave all the effort his friends had gone to to go to waste, but Lance found himself choking on the words the moment he so much as thought them.

  


It would be their first date—well their first proper date—away from the Castle, away from everything, just the two of them. But…what if Shiro didn’t want to go? What if he’d had enough of seeing the fireworks last night and didn’t want to see them again? Or worse, what if he didn’t want to go with Lance and wanted to go alone?

  


His mind wandering towards all sorts of depressing scenarios, Lance grew restless and distant, causing him to drift away from Shiro, avoiding his eye. As the day drew to a close Lance knew he was running out of time to ask Shiro, which only made him more fidgety.

  


“Lance, is something wrong?” Shiro asked as they were making their way back to the Castle Ship, Usok and the others having finally bid them goodbye.

  


“What? No, nothing’s wrong, why would anything be wrong?” Lance replied stiffly, the unexpected question almost startling the truth  out of him. He bit his lip to hold it back, still unable to look Shiro in the eye.

  


“Lance,” Shiro repeated in the soft, yet firm, tone that sent a shudder through Lance. The same tone that asked Lance to be honest with him, to not hide his feelings. Lance could never win against it.

  


He hung his head, looking down at his feet.“It’s just…” He began to fidget with the hem of his dark green jacket, chancing a glance up at Shiro from beneath long dark lashes, before quickly looking down at the floor again.

  


Shiro smiled, patiently waiting from him to continue.

  


“I was wondering…” Lance drew out the words in a long, hesitant breath. He took a step back, lifting his head while looking off to the side. He knew he would lose his nerve if he made eye contact with Shiro.

  


“… If you would like… to… you know…” Lance shrugged, his hand moving up to cup the back of his neck, “go see the fireworks together? You know, like a date? A date date,” he blurted out the last sentence in a rush before letting out a heavy, relieved breath after them.

  


“I mean it’s just a thought. A suggestion really, like we could, but we don’t have to. This whole thing is still really new and I know we gotta keep things professional, keep it casual, you know? So maybe real dates are pushing it, though I mean opportunities like this don’t happen often so maybe once in a while—” Lance rambled with a wave of his hand, taking another step back as if he planned to make a break for it.

  


He was cut off by Shiro grabbing his hand, calling his name sharply.

  


“Lance!” Shiro pulled the other man towards him.

  


“Did you really think I’d say no?” He couldn’t help but chuckle, though his smile was almost sad as he laced their fingers together, anchoring the other man to him so he couldn’t run away. They really had to work more on the whole self-deprecating thing Lance had going on.

  


“My feelings for you aren’t casual, you know? Keeping things professional doesn’t mean we can’t do dates. Real dates, away from the Castle,” Shiro said softly.

  


“Oh right… mine too… I mean, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that,” Lance floundered desperately, squeezing Shiro’s hand. He paused, took a moment to suck in a deep breath, and then let it out with a deep sigh. As the tension left his body, a heavy sense of guilt remained. It was his own insecurities, his own doubt that Shiro really liked him that was turning him into such a mess. It should be easy to simply ask his boyfriend out on a date.

  


“You don’t have to apologise,” Shiro assured, warm and forgiving. Lance really didn’t deserve him. “And I’d love to go on a date with you. I’ve been waiting for you to ask all day.” Shiro grinned, his smile just a hint devious.

  


“You have? Then why didn’t you ask me and save me all this trouble?” Lance asked indignantly.

  


“You look like you’ve been wanting to say something very important all day. I didn’t want to spoil it for you.” Shiro shrugged as Lance face darkened in a deep red blush.

  


“You!” Lance huffed accusingly narrowing his eyes in a glare.

  


Shiro laughed, smiling innocently. He tugged Lance close, resting his free hand on the other’s waist, his thumb rubbing gently against Lance’s hip.

  


“So I’ll pick you up tonight then. How does seven sound?”

  


“Pick me up?”

  


“Mmm hmm.” Shiro nodded, squeezing Lance’s hand again.

  


“If this is a date, then we should do this properly. I’ll come pick you up at your place—which is your room—and I don’t have a car, so we’re going to have to walk; but it’s the thought that counts,” Shiro stated stubbornly.

  


Lance laughed at that.

  


“Maybe you can give me a piggy back ride instead?” Lance teased before he chuckled again, leaning into Shiro, the other’s hand on his waist drawing him close. He felt more relaxed now, almost light; though, there was still the nervous fluttering feeling in his heart, stemming from everywhere Shiro touched him. It was pretty amazing how Shiro could make him feel both totally calm and like a nervous wreck all at the same time.

  


“If that’s your wish,” Shiro whispered, making Lance laugh again with a shake of his head.

  


“No, it’s okay. I think I can manage walking,” Lance replied.

  


“Okay then. Now that that’s settled, I’ll let you go get ready,” Shiro said, low and soft against Lance’s ear before pressing a small, lingering kiss against the corner of his mouth.

  


Lance smiled into it.

  


“Don’t be late or someone might beat you to it. I have suitors lining up you know,” Lance teased to distract from his own embarrassment and his racing heart.

  


“Oh you do, do you? Well I’m pretty sure I can take them. I won’t let anyone else have you,” Shiro growled, possessively snaking an arm around Lance’s waist.

  


Squirming, Lance snorted a laugh of disbelief and heightened embarrassment, which was the most unattractive thing ever in his opinion. He tucked his head against Shiro’s shoulder, hiding bright red cheeks against his broad chest.

  


Shiro on the other hand thought this reaction was the most adorable thing he’d ever seen, so he kept repeating what he was doing just to see it again and again.

  


Lance was sure he wasn’t going to make it at this rate. Forget an intergalactic space war, he was going to be smothered to death by his boyfriend’s affection. What a way to go.

  


“You’re a fool,” Lance grumbled into Shiro’s shoulder.

  


“I’m only a fool for you,” Shiro breathed huskily without a hint of hesitation, making Lance curl into him with a groan.

  


“Listen, leave the smooth pick up lines to the expert okay?” Lance declared as he pushed himself away from Shiro.

  


“What’s wrong with my pick up lines? I got you, didn’t I?” Shiro shot back with a mischievous grin.

  


“No comment. And now I’m out of here, don’t be late!” Lance turned away quickly so that Shiro wouldn’t be able to to get a good look at his face, his cheeks aching so much he was sure he was grinning like an idiot. Lance broke into a run as soon as he finished speaking.

  


“See you tonight!” Shiro yelled after him.

  


* * *

 

  


In the safety of his room, Lance was free to bury his face into his pillow and scream out his embarrassed frustration until he calmed down. He wasn’t sure if he would ever get used to Shiro being so open and affectionate with him.

  


When his pulse had returned to normal and his cheeks no longer felt hot enough to fry an egg, Lance dragged himself off of his bed and started to get ready. He rummaged about his room, shuffling through his few possessions, trying to decide what to wear. Lance wanted to look good for their date, which was a challenge unto itself, and with his limited choices and already heightened anxiety about the whole thing, the task seemed impossible.

  


After having spent some time in space, visiting various planets, and raiding the Castle’s supplies, he had accumulated a few more items for his wardrobe. You couldn’t fight a war with just one set of armour and one well worn outfit after all. Yet, it was all the same comfortable, boring, standard type of clothing. Nothing fancy, nothing sexy.

  


Nothing that was suitable for a date. Nothing exciting. Even after some careful mixing and matching, throwing together almost all of the combinations his wardrobe allowed, nothing seemed suitable. It just wasn’t enough.

  


With a groan of defeat, Lance crumpled on the floor and lay down flat on his back, arms and legs splayed out.

  


“This is impossible,” he muttered to himself, staring up at his ceiling. At this rate, he’d end up just wearing his usual outfit, so no sweeping Shiro off his feet tonight.

  


Still grumbling to himself, Lance turned away from the messy pile of discarded clothing and grabbed his face mask tub instead. There was still plenty of time left, probably, and he still needed to take care of his usual routine. He had more than his outfit to worry about. Maybe he would be struck by a flash of inspiration in the bathroom.

  


* * *

 

  


After smoothing the face mask over his skin, Lance had that flash of inspiration. He could ask Allura for help. Out of all of them, she was the most stylish and the most likely to be able to find him some fancy Paladin garment or something to wear.

  


Dressed in his pyjamas and with the food goo mask on his face, he moved with purpose through the corridor in search of her. He found her far too easily, as if she had been waiting for him. After giving a condensed version of his predicament, she didn’t seem at all surprised.

  


“Come with me, I have just the thing,” she gushed, dragging him off through the Castle hallways to her quarters with a spring in her step. Several weeks ago, before Lance acknowledged his feelings for Shiro, he might have felt a thrill at being lead to Allura’s room; now all Lance felt was a sinking sense of fear for what she might have in store for him.

  


Maybe asking her for help hadn’t been such a good idea after all.

  


Allura charged into her room before she finally released him, moving over to her bed to gather up a bundle of blue, gold, and white clothing that lay there. Waiting.

  


“Here, try this. I think it will be just your style,” she suggested, pressing the bundle of clothes into his arms. It looked fancy, expensive, and definitely Altean.

  


“You just happened to have these lying around?” He narrowed his eyes suspiciously at her, but Allura responded with a sweet, innocent smile.

  


“I just happened to find them when I was doing  a little tidying up earlier. They are traditional Altean clothing that belonged to the previous Blue Paladin. I know how you like to collect mementos from them, so I thought you might like them.” It was such a proper explanation that it almost sounded true.

  


“You make me sound like some creepy stalker,” Lance complained. He shifted the pile of clothes to one hand and grabbed the top most item with his other, before he shook it out to reveal a fancy shirt that looked too big for him.

  


“Is this going to fit?”

  


“Of course it will. Altean clothing adjusts to fit its wearer—within a certain margin of course. You’ll be fine,” Allura answered confidently.

  


Lance wasn’t so easily convinced, but he had to admit the gold and blue looked beautiful together and the fabric felt absolutely soft and luxurious. He wasn’t sure if he’d ever worn anything like it before.

  


It was better than nothing and he was running out of time.

  


“You will look stunning,” she added, interrupting Lance’s train of thought. He smiled at her and nodded.

  


“Thanks Allura. You’re a lifesaver!” He hugged the clothes to his chest, letting out a small sigh.

  


“Any time. Now you must hurry, you don’t have a lot of time left to get ready, right?” she urged with a knowing smirk. Lance had only told her he had ‘plans’ with Shiro, he hadn’t mentioned a time or anything else. She obviously knew something.

  


There was no time for an interrogation as Lance saw she was right: the appointed time was drawing close. Too close. It would have to wait until later.

  


Lance then ran from her room, shouting his thanks over his shoulder.  

  


* * *

 

 

Sitting in his room watching the clock tick, waiting for Shiro to knock on the door was quite frankly the most nerve-racking experience of his life. His pulse raced at such a rate that Lance felt he would rather take on a robeast alone rather than have to sit there any longer.

  


It wasn’t as if this was their very first date. They’d had a handful of small dates before, dates spent huddled together in some secluded part of the Castle with a bunch of pillows and some nice mood lighting. Though, living on a ship with five other people meant that interruptions were inevitable, and constant Galra attacks didn’t really help matters either.

  


Those dates had been special, but never quite so ‘serious’. Shiro had never come to ‘pick him up’ at his room before, nor were they generally pre-planned. They simply gravitated together whenever they could, taking advantage of those rare moments when they had free time.

  


This was serious. This felt official: real. It would be their first date away from the Castle, away from the safety and sense of familiarity it provided them. Their first date out in public, and they would get to spend the whole evening together, without any interruptions, if Lance’s suspicions were correct. His friends would make sure of that.

  


“I wonder if it’s too late to fake the space flu?” Lance mumbled to himself before swallowing around the hard lump in his throat. Not that he wanted to give up on some alone time with Shiro, but the idea of having the other man nurse him back to health in the privacy of his own room sounded far more appealing right then.

  


Lance sighed and ran his fingers through his hair for the umpteenth time. It was most definitely a mess by now, but he didn’t dare look in a mirror, or else he might end up locking himself up in the bathroom for the rest of the night trying to fix it.

  


The Altean clothing clung to him, feeling almost constricting. Was it meant to be this tight? He was sweating slightly from nerves too which added to his discomfort. When he put the clothes on he thought they’d looked good, the colours complimenting him beautifully. Now, he wasn’t so sure. He pulled at his collar and took a deep breath.

  


No, it was fine. He was just panicking and needed to calm down. As much as he felt like he was about to have a heart attack, Lance couldn’t miss this date. It was the next step, an important step.

  


A gentle rap on the door almost caused Lance to shriek in alarm and fall off the bed. He just about managed to hold in the scream, but his heart was racing louder and faster. Lance wondered if Shiro could hear it on the other side of the door. It certainly sounded deafening to his own ears.

  


_Okay, calm down, play it cool, nothing to worry about. Just answer the door, open it._ Why hadn’t he moved yet? There was another rap on the door which made Lance jump again.

  


“Coming!” he called automatically, then silently cursed at himself. There was no more time to mentally prepare, he had to answer the door now. Stumbling to his feet like a drunk, Lance moved over to the door, slamming his hand onto the lock pad to open it.

  


“For a minute there, I was worried you were going to stand me up,” Shiro’s deep, smooth voice greeted him. Just the sound of it transformed Lance’s nerves  into butterflies and a warm, tight feeling around his chest. Well, he was still nervous as hell, but at least he was happy about it now.

  


“Never,” he answered softly, his gaze moving to what Shiro held in his hand.

  


“Are those flowers?” Lance asked, dubiously taking in the colours of the blooms that looked like no flowers he had ever seen before. Shiro’s cheeks turned a deep pink.

  


“Yes. Since this is a proper date and all, and I’ve never actually had the chance to buy you flowers until now,” he mumbled, refusing to look at Lance, the flowers held out in front of him like a shield.

  


Lance watched him for a moment, his expression of doubt quickly changing into a smile. It soon after devolved into a snort of laughter that Shiro knew meant that Lance was over the moon and horribly embarrassed.

  


“They’re beautiful,” he managed to say through his giggles, taking the flowers with a soft kiss to one of Shiro’s burning pink cheeks.

  


“Do you think it’s safe to put them in water? They’re not going to grow out of control and take over my room are they?” Lance teased, lifting the flowers to his nose to sniff them cautiously.

  


“I… don’t actually know,” Shiro admitted sheepishly.

  


“You don’t know? Some boyfriend you are! If these flowers destroy my room I hope you’re ready to take responsibility.”

  


“Well, if something does happen to your room, you’re always welcome to share mine,” Shiro replied without hesitation, or even shame for that matter, which almost made Lance choke on his words.

  


“Okay, good,” he squeaked, turning sharply to  set the bouquet down gently on his desk. He didn’t have a glass or any water to put them in now, but he would take care of that later. Behind him he was sure he heard Shiro chuckle.

  


Taking a moment to collect himself, Lance took a deep, steadying breath before turning around to take in his boyfriend properly for the first time that evening.

  


Shiro was wearing his usual shirt and trousers from what Lance could tell, but he’d paired it with a simple tunic that one of the Foysteans had given him earlier that morning. It was a simple, yet effective change: the bright colours and intricate pattern of the tunic accentuating the strength of his chest and arms without showing them off completely. Lance was a little annoyed at how effortless Shiro made it look. However, he was far too appreciative of the whole ensemble to truly be mad.

  


“You look good,” Shiro complimented, breaking the silence that had fallen around them. He had a small, shy smile on his lips as he gazed at Lance, taking everything in with an shameless stare.

  


Lance flushed, but was emboldened by Shiro’s hungry gaze and did a little twirl with a flashy pose at the end.

  


“Thanks, Allura gave it to me.” The gold made his skin glow, the blue brought out the colour of his eyes, and the white accents ensured that the overall look wasn’t too gaudy. The fabric hugged his figure, showing off every line of his body in a way Shiro hadn’t been privy to before, yet he also managed to look regal and smart at the same time.

  


“The Altean look is good on you,” Shiro said with a nod, proud at the fact his voice hadn’t cracked, because his mouth suddenly felt very, very dry.

  


“Anyway,” Lance coughed clearing his throat, “not that I’m not tempted at the idea of just standing here and staring at each other all day, but we should probably head off now or we’ll miss the fireworks.”

  


“Right…” Shiro answered in a far away voice, still gawking as if he hadn’t heard Lance. His mind quickly caught up however, and he blinked a few times before jumping to attention and offering Lance his arm.

  


“Right, yes we should go,” he agreed as Lance laughed, hooking his hand over Shiro’s arm.

  


They made their way through the Castle corridors together and out into the pleasantly cool evening. Stepping outside seemed to break the spell between them, casting one of awkwardness in its place. Lance released Shiro’s arm as they took a small step away from each other. They were out in public, together, just them.  Even though there was no one around, they could hear the bustle of voices and activity in the distance, making everything feel suddenly very exposed.

  


Lance walked a little straighter and Shiro too stiffened.

  


“It’s uh, pretty nice out, huh?” Lance commented as he looked around. It was night, but the planet’s round moon was full and shining a faint golden-yellow, bathing everything in its warm glow.

  


“Yeah, nice,” Shiro agreed, his Galra hand cradling the back of his neck, scratching the short hairs there absently. Lance meanwhile wished he was brave enough to reach out and run his fingers against the rough stubble of Shiro’s buzz cut. Maybe also letting his hand glide into the slightly longer hairs at the top of the other man’s head, the ones that were almost too short to grab onto. Even if they were, Lance was sure that if he curled his fingers just right, he’d be able to pull on Shiro’s hair and drag the other man’s head down towards his…

  


_Nope, okay, no. Now is not the time to think about that_. He needed to stop staring. Lance tore his gaze away from the black prosthetic fingers twitching absently against Shiro’s neck and resolutely stared forward, trying not to think about how firm and strong Shiro’s lips were, how good they felt against his own whenever they kissed.

  


Shiro watched Lance from the corner of his eye, equally as distracted by the other man, and especially from how close the Altean clothing clung to his figure.

  


Both were so lost in their admiration of the other, neither noticed they were also being stared at.

  


They walked along in heart-pounding silence, side by side, their shoulders and hands constantly bumping and brushing together, neither quite ready enough to reach out and grab on.

  


“So where are we going?” Lance asked when he realised they weren’t just wandering aimlessly, and that Shiro was leading him somewhere.

  


“Usok recommended a good spot to view the fireworks from, I thought we could check it out,” Shiro confessed, looking a little sheepish.

  


“So now the entire population of this planet knows too?” Lance groaned. Of course, all the signs had been there throughout the day, but just this once Lance wished he’d been proven wrong.

  


“If there’s a surprise party or something like that waiting for us at that place…” Lance continued threateningly under his breath.

  


“The others wouldn’t do that, they’re just worried about us,” Shiro soothed.

  


“Well, that worry is misplaced,” Lance huffed, though he wasn’t really mad.

  


Everyone—even an alien race they’d just met—was so warm and accepting of their relationship, it made their nervousness around each other seem rather foolish. As if drawn together by that same thought, their hands moved, fingers lacing together, looking at each other in surprise before their expressions softened.

  


“That’s better,” Lance stated softly, giving Shiro’s hand a squeeze.

  


Shiro hummed in agreement, rubbing his thumb against the back of Lance’s hand. They moved closer, walking side by side, and suddenly, everything felt remarkably easier and lighter, like they didn’t need to worry.

  


They soon arrived at the spot: a secluded area far from the bustle of the festivities where the noise reached them as a faint murmur that was easy to ignore. A blanket had been set out for them on the grass, along with a little basket that looked suspiciously like a picnic.

  


They paused at the sight, taking it in for a moment before the pair of them broke out in a laugh at exactly the same time.

  


“You know, I get the feeling someone is trying to tell us something,” Lance mused, his head dropping to Shiro’s shoulder. He had to admit it was pretty sweet.

  


“It’s very considerate, and it would be a shame to waste all the effort that has clearly gone into this,” Shiro noted with a straight face, a tautness in his voice as he tried not to laugh too much. He gave Lance’s hand a gentle tug, leading him towards the blanket.

  


“Well as long as they don’t plan to stay and watch,” Lance glanced around, furtively looking for any signs of unwanted guests that may be hiding to spy on them. But the area was an open, empty space with no foliage higher than a common flower. There was no place to hide. They were alone.

  


“Come on,” Shiro encouraged, tugging Lance down to sit next to him on the blanket.

  


They let go of each other’s hand as they sat, Lance leaning away for a moment to grab the basket. Pulling it closer, he stood it between them so they could both inspect the contents.

  


“Oh, this is that weird qersi stuff they gave us last night. Did it taste a little alcoholic to you?” Lance asked as he pulled a decorative glass bottle from the basket. The Foysteans certainly were artisans. He gasped dramatically. “Shiro! Are you planning to get me drunk?” He brandished the bottle accusingly towards the other man with a playful wiggle of his eyebrows and a twinkle in his eye.

  


Shiro stared at him flatly. “No that’s all for me. I’m going to need the whole bottle just to get through this,” he declared.

  


Lance gasped with an over-exaggerated look of offence.

  


Shiro smiled, leaning in to steal a kiss from Lance’s pouting lips before plucking the bottle from his hands.

  


“One glass won’t hurt, though we probably shouldn’t drink too much. We don’t know what this stuff does to humans,” he said as he popped open the bottle, then reached for a glass.

  


“Oh Shiro, you’re so responsible,” Lance breathed, emphasising the last word with a soft, sultry breath, fluttering his eyelashes at Shiro.

  


“I really will drink this whole bottle myself if you carry on,” Shiro grumbled, even as he handed a bubbling glass full of the sparkling silver liquid to the other man.

  


“You like it really. All part of my charm,” Lance retorted with a wink as he took the glass.

  


Shiro rolled his eyes, but said nothing; he couldn’t argue with the truth.

  


“A toast,” Shiro began, lifting his glass, “to us.” He clinked his against Lance’s.

  


“To us,” Lance echoed with a soft, tender smile that Shiro had only ever seen him wear when they were alone like this. It made his heart race.

  


They sipped at their drinks, and a moment later, almost as if it had been waiting for them to finish their toast, a loud whistle tore across the sky, followed by a boom and an explosion of colour drawing their attention upwards. The fireworks had started.

  


They watched, captivated, as the beautiful display lit up the sky. It was even more fantastical and detailed than the previous night. The shapes were more complicated, the dance across the sky more intricate and mesmerising.

  


Lance’s eyes widened at the sight, his mouth hanging open in wonder.

  


Shiro was entranced for only a moment before he risked a glimpse at Lance, knowing that the soft gasps and ‘ohs’ coming from him meant that Lance wouldn’t notice at all.

  


He was beautiful. The realisation still hit Shiro like a punch to the gut at times like this, knowing that Lance was his, knowing that he had someone special in his life that loved him for everything he was, despite everything that had happened to him. Someone that made him happy. Someone that made him feel at ease. Someone who could make him relax and just enjoy life, even in the midst of a war.

  


Shiro thought that he was the luckiest man in the universe, and even that bold statement fell short of expressing just how privileged he felt to have Lance at his side.

  


Lance hadn’t noticed Shiro staring, hadn’t noticed the way he was far too taken by the beauty beside him rather than the impressive display lighting up the sky. Shiro watched the fireworks reflected in Lance’s eyes, captivated by the way the colours picked up and highlighted the different shades of blue in them. Some made the colour more intense, whereas the lighter golds and yellows made his eyes shimmer like a sparkling ocean under the hot sun. The darker colours meanwhile, made them seem like the deep blue of the night sky. It was like watching the twinkling of stars giving birth to galaxies all contained in Lance’s fathomless blue eyes.  They shifted and changed along with the display, living for only several moments before contorting, growing, then shifting into something new.

  


It wasn’t just in Lance’s eyes that Shiro took in the fireworks. He admired the way the sparkling lights reflected off Lance’s hair, how it picked up the copper tones that made the brown look light and warm like a sandy beach. He marveled the way the colourful lights illuminated Lance’s profile, highlighting his cheekbones and the cute curve of his upturned nose. He adored the way the lights made Lance’s skin glow.

  


Shiro could have watched the reflection of the fireworks against Lance all night, but above that desire, Shiro wanted to touch him. He felt like he could touch the sky if he could just brush his fingers against Lance’s skin.

  


They were sitting close together, but not close enough, not nearly enough. Lance’s hand was resting on the blanket between them, almost teasing Shiro with the gentle curve of his relaxed fingers. It would be easy to just slip his hand into Lance’s palm and thread their fingers together as he had so many times before.

  


So he did. Shiro reached out, curling his hand around slender fingers, his grip light to provide Lance the opportunity to pull away if he wanted.

  


“You’re beautiful.” Shiro smiled by way of explanation as Lance turned to stare at him questioningly. He felt the light ticklish twitch of Lance’s fingers in his hand, the small jerk of surprise, and then, the way they gripped tighter.

  


“You—you can’t just say that!” Lance spluttered, the light flush in his cheeks illuminated by a sudden burst of red in the sky. He gawked at Shiro, mouth hanging open, his grip practically crushing the other man’s hand. Shiro was sure he could detect a slight tremor which made him laugh, deep and smooth. Lance looked away.

  


“Can’t I? But I think I just did,” Shiro teased, his free hand moving to cup Lance’s cheek, fingers tracing the warm line of the rosy blush dusted across them before pressing firmly to turn Lance’s head back towards him.

  


His mouth was closed, a sharp, thin line of embarrassment. Well, Shiro knew how to fix that.

  


He leaned in to place a soft kiss against those pursed lips, smiling at the way Lance predictably jumped and tensed against him, as if this were their first time. Shiro rubbed his thumb soothingly against the arch of Lance’s cheek. He leaned in further to encourage Lance, waiting for the inevitable slacking of Lance’s body, who soon relaxed into the kiss with soft and pliant lips.

  


Lance gasped, his lips parted, and Shiro took the opportunity to deepen the kiss. His hand moved from Lance’s cheek to the back of his head: fingers threading through the short, soft strands. He continued to move slowly, and oh so carefully as if he were handling something fragile that could break if he pushed too hard.

  


Lance tilted his head into the kiss, his grip on Shiro’s hand becoming desperate as if afraid he might float away. His other hand moved to Shiro’s chest, as it so often did, making Shiro smiled against his lips for a moment.  Lance’s body rolled towards Shiro pressing their chest together, his lips moving with Shiro’s, pushing back, challenging him, inviting him closer.

  


The kiss was slow and tentative, even as the heat built up between them. Still shy and cautious as if they hadn’t done this countless times before; but the way the kiss lingered, drawn out until the very last moment, spoke of some experience. Desire.

  


They were both flushed and breathless by the time they broke apart, panting hot breath against each other’s lips, hot mingled breath keeping them connected. Shiro could taste the qersi from Lance’s lips and tongue, the sweet, bubbly tang making him feel as if he’d downed the whole bottle. Shiro’s body practically fizzed with it, the nervous, happy energy he always obtained from kissing Lance.

  


“You taste like the qersi,” Shiro whispered against Lance’s lips, watching as his eyes fluttered open with a dazed look.

  


“So do you.” Lance smiled, pressing forward again to place a few lazy, sloppy kisses against Shiro’s lips for another taste.

  


The heat between them bubbled down as they paused to catch their breath and relaxed into each other. Shiro wrapped an arm around Lance’s waist, pulling him close as the other man curled into him, his own arms snaking around Shiro.

  


“Shiro?” Lance asked softly.

  


Shiro hummed as he rubbed small circles against Lance’s back.

  


“What do the fireworks remind you of?”

  


“Hmm?” Shiro’s response came soft and questioning this time. His hand didn’t pause.

  


“You know, like any particular memories or holidays back on Earth?” Lance’s voice was tender, but with an edge to it that Shiro knew meant he was holding himself back to stop himself from getting too emotional. He embraced Lance tighter.

  


“They make me think of summer… summer holidays spent with my grandparents in Japan,” Shiro answered.

  


“Summer?” Lance repeated, surprised. He hadn’t expected Shiro to say that.

  


“Mm hmm, Japan is pretty big on its summer festivals and most of them end in a big, brilliant fireworks display that you watch with those important to you. We’d all get dressed up in yukata and wander around the stalls, trying to eat one of everything. Well, I did,” Shiro admitted chuckling at the memory. He’d almost made himself sick one year after eating too much.

  


“Even though there were so many people, there was just something about the atmosphere and the crowd around you that made you feel closer to the people you were with,” Shiro continued softly.

  


“That sounds nice,” Lance sighed.

  


“I’ll take you some time, when we get back. I’ll show you around and you can meet my family, they’ll love you,” Shiro promised excitedly. It felt oddly good making plans for the future. Not long ago, Shiro wouldn’t have felt he could make any plans for the future at all.

  


Lance looked at him wide-eyed, stunned. Shiro inviting him to meet his family like that shouldn’t be a big deal. Lance made promises to introduce the others to his family all the time, even Keith. But this, coming from Shiro, this was different.

  


Lance was at a complete loss for words.

  


“I think you’ll look very fetching in a yukata, I can’t wait to see it,” Shiro continued, apparently oblivious to Lance’s complete internal shutdown.  

  


“Your family?” Lance finally spoke. The same words that had been repeating again and again in his head since Shiro had said them.

  


“Yeah, I’m going to have to introduce you to them,” Shiro responded.

  


Lance was still too flabbergasted to think straight.

  


“Why?” he squeaked.

  


Shiro looked at him, noting how bright the red in the other man’s cheeks were. He saw the tension in Lance’s body, the look of fear and hope in his eyes. Ah, now he understood. Shiro bit back the urge to laugh. Lance was too cute for his own good sometimes.

  


“Why?” Shiro mused, tenderly running his fingers through Lance’s hair. Shiro, being the romantic that he was, had planned out a variety of ways to confess to Lance, to say those all important big three words. He’d imagined grand, lavish gestures but, he supposed, sometimes simple was best. There would be plenty of other opportunities for grand gestures later.

  


“Because I want to introduce them to my boyfriend. Because I love you.”

  


Lance immediately sucked in a breath, momentarily forgetting how to expel the air in his lungs. He appeared frozen. Shiro was just about to shake him gently in an attempt to bring him back when Lance shot forward: unbalancing them both with the suddenness of his movements.

  


They fell down on the blanket, Shiro on his back with Lance sprawled on top of him, kissing every part of Shiro he could reach. He was mumbling syllables between each kiss that were hard to catch in Lance’s urgency to kiss and speak at the same time but Shiro had a good idea what it was he was trying to say.

  


Grabbing Lance by the waist, he flipped them over, pinning him down so he could hover above him just out of reach. Lance pouted.

  


“Sorry I didn’t quite catch that,” Shiro chuckled.

  


“I said, I love you too, you big oaf!” Lance grumbled, a little put out at how easily Shiro had flipped them.

  


Shiro smirked and leaned down to steal a kiss from Lance.

  


“Nope sorry still can’t hear you,” he teased.

  


Lance scowled.

  


“I love you,” he said firmly. Grabbing Shiro by the shoulders, he pulled him down into another quick kiss.

  


“I. Love. You,” Lance repeated punctuating each word with a hard kiss that made Shiro laugh.

  


“Now move, you’re blocking the view,” Lance huffed, swatting at Shiro as he tried to get up.

  


Shiro didn’t move.

  


“But you are the view.” He grinned, closing the distance between them again. Lance, despite his protests, didn’t mind missing the rest of the fireworks display if it meant kissing Shiro, repeating those three words to each other over and over again between kisses and giggles.

  
  



End file.
